AkzoNobel has finalised the acquisition of BASF’s global industrial coatings business, positioning it as a provider capable of protecting every part of a wind turbine and offering a single source of supply to customers. The agreement includes all relevant technologies, patents and trademarks, as well as two manufacturing plants in the UK and South Africa. Approximately 400 employees from BASF’s industrial coatings business will now join AkzoNobel. The transaction is valued at €475 million, with BASF’s business generating revenue close to €300 million in 2015.

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) have signed a power purchase agreement with Abu Dubai Future Energy Company (Masdar) for the 800MW third phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Solar Park. The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park is a major undertaking which will become an international reference point for the renewable energy industry,” said Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, CEO of Masdar. The park was launched to diversify the energy mix so clean energy will generate 7% of Dubai’s total power output by 2020, 25% by 2030 and 75% by 2050. “Through the Solar Park, DEWA is making a significant contribution to the UAE’s vision for a green economy. The collaboration between all parties to reach this milestone has been exceptional”, added Al Ramahi.

The Paris agreement on climate change has added impetus to the decarbonisation of transport as one of the most effective ways for realising the climate protection targets. Next to higher engine efficiencies and the simultaneous hybridization of engine technologies. Biofuels will have to play an important role in terms of a bridging function because they are already available and with biofuels from cultivated biomass, it is possible to make an immediate and effective contribution to the lowering of emissions in existing vehicle fleets.

Offshore wind power could grow more than 650% by 2030, according to a new analysis from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). “It’s poised to become a leading power generation technology in a decarbonised global economy,” said Adnan Z. Amin, Director-General of IRENA, this week, at the World Wind Energy Conference. “Now that onshore wind power is cost-competitive with conventional power generation technologies, more attention is shifting to offshore applications, characterised by high technical power generation potential”.

RenewableUK has released a new document today which highlights the offshore wind industry’s export potential. The document shows that British companies have already won 115 contracts to provide services for 50 offshore wind projects abroad in this rapidly-growing global sector. British companies are winning multimillion-pound contracts; making and laying cables, installing turbines, and providing other essential services. The analysis highlights 250 offshore wind farms in development around the world, representing a massive economic and industrial opportunity for the UK.

The international Airport Weeze in North Rhine-Westphalia is one of the newest European airports, welcoming 1.8m passengers a year. The airport operators have now opened car park P2 for customers and equipped it with a PV carport system. This offers a dual advantage. First, the renewable energy generated by the system can be used as an additional revenue source, or for self-consumption; whilst reducing its carbon footprint. Second, the system also serves as a protective layer shielding passenger vehicles.

Swedish company OX2 has placed another order for 41 V126-3.45 MW turbines with power optimised mode to 3.6 MW and Vestas’ de-icing technology for their largest wind power project to date. This is the third time OX2 has placed an order for Vestas turbines in 2016, reinforcing the two companies’ strong collaboration and market position in the Nordic region. Delivery of the wind turbines is expected to begin in the Q2, 2018 and the order includes supply, installation, and commissioning of the turbines as well as a 15-year Active Output Management service agreement.

Hydro-Québec has announced it will provide a total of CA$100,000 over a 2-year period to research spearheaded by the MIT climate change think tank, Ouranos, located in Montréal, and the business school HEC Montréal, also in Montreal. The agreement provides for the development and implementation of a vital modeling tool that will be available for climate change researchers. The tool focuses on Québec and New England and will seek to identify opportunities for optimal expansion of renewable energy sources in the two regions, including expanded trade in electricity.

Suppliers to the automobile industry can challenge major manufacturers, but they face significant pressures, recently illustrated by the dispute between Volkswagen and Prevent Group. The federal state of Baden-Württemberg has now launched an advisory campaign to help medium-sized suppliers in the automobile industry to diversify into parts for electric vehicles. The aim is to help the 1,000 or more suppliers to gain a foothold in the market for systems and components in the electric mobility sector.

Enerkem Alberta Biofuels full-scale facility in Edmonton, Canada, became the first ISCC certified plant in the world to convert municipal solid waste into biomethanol. It announced that it has obtained certification from the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) system for the biomethanol production of its Enerkem Alberta Biofuels full-scale facility in Edmonton, Canada.

Asko, which is Norway’s largest convenience goods wholesaler, is continuing its investment in sustainable transport services. The company will together with Scania start testing trucks with an electric powertrain. Electrical energy is converted from hydrogen gas in fuel cells on board the vehicles. The hydrogen gas is produced locally, using solar cells. The trucks will run in distribution service with distances of almost 500 km. Asko’s ambition is to achieve a climate-neutral business, where the distribution of goods will take place using trucks, which run on renewable fuels and in the longer term completely on electricity.